Left winger Earl Johnson dressed for one game with the Detroit Red Wings in 1953-54. He was best known for his scoring and longevity in the minor leagues, especially in the Western Hockey League.

Born in Fort Frances, Ontario, Johnson played three years of junior with the Windsor Spitfires of the OHA. He was also a proficient scorer with the Detroit Hettche club in the IHL as well as the Edmonton Flyers of the PCHL/WHL. In 1951-52 he scored 37 goals as a rookie with the Flyers but was nosed out by Guyle Fielder in the voting for the league's top freshman. The year he was called up by Detroit, Johnson played in Edmonton as well as the Sherbrooke Saints of the Quebec Senior league.

Johnson played nine more seasons of minor pro hockey before retiring in 1963. His best stretch came with the Spokane Comets of the WHL from 1958 to 1961 when he accounted for 103 goals and often formed a potent line with Del Topoll and NHL prospect Al Johnson.

REGULAR SEASON

PLAYOFFS

Season

Club

League

GP

G

A

TP

PIM

+/-

GP

G

A

TP

PIM

1949-50

Windsor Spitfires

OHA-Jr.

42

18

18

36

6

2

1

0

1

0

1949-50

Detroit Hettche

IHL

5

3

3

6

0

1950-51

Windsor Spitfires

OHA-Jr.

54

39

28

67

19

8

2

3

5

0

1951-52

Edmonton Flyers

PCHL

69

37

34

71

19

4

0

1

1

2

1952-53

Edmonton Flyers

WHL

70

26

34

60

26

15

10

7

17

20

1953-54

Detroit Red Wings

NHL

1

0

0

0

0

1953-54

Edmonton Flyers

WHL

19

5

0

5

6

1953-54

Sherbrooke Saints

QHL

50

18

22

40

41

5

4

2

6

2

1954-55

Quebec Aces

QHL

21

12

6

18

18

1954-55

Vancouver Canucks

WHL

45

16

19

35

33

5

2

1

3

2

1955-56

Springfield Indians

AHL

7

4

2

6

6

1955-56

Vancouver<196>Edmonton

WHL

42

15

10

25

44

3

0

1

1

2

1956-57

Vancouver Canucks

WHL

54

17

14

31

49

1956-57

Providence Reds

AHL

9

2

4

6

6

1957-58

Trois-Rivieres Lions

QHL

50

14

8

22

6

1958-59

Spokane Spokes

WHL

67

40

32

72

30

4

0

1

1

4

1959-60

Spokane Spokes

WHL

69

31

31

62

20

1960-61

Spokane Comets

WHL

70

32

30

62

40

4

0

0

0

0

1961-62

Pittsburgh Hornets

AHL

18

3

3

6

2

1961-62

Los Angeles Blades

WHL

31

9

8

17

0

1962-63

New Haven Blades

EHL

53

20

25

45

11

1963-64

Spokane Jets

WIHL

38

41

30

71

4

12

8

8

16

0

1964-65

Waterloo Black Hawks

USHL

NHL Totals

1

0

0

0

0

WHL Coast Division Second All-Star Team (1959)

Signed as a free agent by Detroit, September 20, 1951. Loaned to Quebec (QHL) by NY Rangers for cash, October, 1954. Returned to NY Rangers from Quebec (QHL) with cash for the trade of Camille Henry to Providence (AHL), December 5, 1954.